


Caged Princess

by Black_Rabbit



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Family, Father Figures, Loneliness, Other, not romantic - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 12:24:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5375093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Rabbit/pseuds/Black_Rabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gunter always believed the cage would grow and the king would allow her just a little more freedom… but it had seemingly grown smaller as the years went by. </p><p>She was outgrowing the little world Garon had placed her in. </p><p>And it was choking her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Princess in the Cage

Lying in the middle of her floor, Kamui stared up at the bedroom ceiling as she counted the minutes of the day away. It had become a new habit and another form of entertainment in recent months… albeit, a very boring form of amusement. If anything, it only made the days pass even slower than they did already. She would watch the hands on her clock move; sometimes drift off in the process, before realizing yet another day had gone by. Occasionally she would fill the gaps with reading or drawing, though she quickly discovered she was no artist. Her own artwork frightened her and left her with nightmares. She couldn’t imagine the effect it would have on others. No matter how much her butler asked, she wouldn’t budge on the matter and kept her artwork sealed away.

Occasionally, when most of Nohr’s residents had gone to sleep, Kamui would watch some of the trainee knights. They sparred in the evening mostly. The young princess would copy their movements despite not owning a sword of her own and studied their mannerisms down to every detail.

 

She sighed as she watched a little moth struggled to keep itself in the air. The princess wondered how it had gotten all the way below the castle and into her bedroom when there were no windows that led to the outside world. Her only view consisted of looking down into the pit that was considered the Nohr castle courtyard. If she looked up, there was a dome. But it acted as a wall between her and the sky. King Garon had made sure to keep her locked deep within the castle and as far away as possible from the world. He claimed it was for her own health and safety… although, Kamui often wondered if there was anything wrong with her at all.

She’d grown up loved and cherished like most children, she thought to herself as she peered over her shoulder at the door where she thought she caught sight of a shadow moving by. Aside from being locked up, everything had been relatively normal. Her siblings, the Nohrian princes and princesses came practically every day to shower her with gifts and love. They were the ones who snuck her out of her bedroom and into the halls to explore the castle in the dead of night when their father was asleep. Kamui would hold her eldest brother and sister’s hands the entire time, smiling up at both.

Evidently, when Garon had caught wind of this…it hadn’t made him all that happy. Their nightly adventures had come to a swift end and her older siblings were sent off to attend to their own duties and forced to take on heavier lessons. By the time evening came around they were too tired to do anything. Still, they would visit but less frequently. Camilla would come in the evening while Marx came in the morning. Leon would pop up in the middle of the day to drop off a couple of books and Elise showed up sporadically to leave her small gifts.

Occasionally, Garon would allow her to learn beside them. A lesson or two every once in a while. Most of the time she insisted on sitting with Camilla or Marx, but she quickly learned to not fuss over it. She had no place to be picky. Any time she could spend with her family was a blessing in itself. She hastily accepted any invitation outside her quarters.

 

Kamui rolled onto her side, closing her eyes as she wished the day would go by faster. She occasionally thought of running away. To run from Nohr… but she loved her brothers and sisters far too much to do such a selfish thing.

Perhaps once it _had_ been something she would have done. When Silas, her childhood friend, and her had been playing in the courtyard together when they were around six. She’d foolishly told him her deepest desire to see the outside world and to explore it someday. He’d promised to make it possible and to set her free.

However, Kamui was sure he’d never expected to be caught.

As quickly as he’d entered her little world, he’d been snatched away from her. Silas became nonexistent in her life as if he hadn’t really existed in the first place. Every time Kamui mentioned his name to her servants and guards, they simply gawked and asked whom she was talking about. Eventually she ceased mentioning him at all and came to believe he’d been nothing more than a hallucination. Silas had become something from her dreams, imaginary.

 

As a result there were very few things she could look forward to aside from the infrequent visits from her siblings and the almost invisible presence of her maid and butler.

 

“My lady?” a voice called softly from outside the door, Kamui shot up immediately. “Are you awake?”

“Gunter?”

The old knight entered a few moments later, a smile on his face as he reached for the young girl. For a moment, she felt her heart sink at the sight of him. The creases in his face seemed to have increased and appeared more profound than before. It only made her realize that someday the knight would leave her and this world entirely. Like Silas. And she would once more be alone. No matter how much he promised that he would never die for as long as she lived, she knew otherwise now. Such promises could never be kept. By anyone.

Shaking such depressing thoughts away, she bounded to where he stood and leapt into his arms, overjoyed. He’d left on the king’s orders some time ago and hadn’t had the time to say good-bye to Kamui before leaving. She’d been a little shocked that Garon would send her own retainer on a mission… but she hadn’t questioned the matter.

“I’ve missed you!” she smiled, as she slammed into him, relaxing into his embrace when his arms wrapped around her.

“As did I!” He agreed with a chuckle. “I hope you’ve kept busy and weren’t too lonely.”

“Alas,” she sighed, “I’ve been bored out of my mind. Jackob’s lessons are dreadful. I’ve never seen a man so keen on being perfect in everything. He teaches me etiquette and lady-like mannerisms for hours!” Kamui posed dramatically, “He’s rather strict and acts as though he has a stick up his…”

“Now, now,” the knight cut her off as he led her to sit on the sofa by her fireplace. She noticed how he tried to suppress a laugh and trembled slightly in the process. “You know he’s only preparing you for the fete coming in a few weeks.”

“I’m surprised father has even allowed me to be present.” Kamui admitted. “I thought for sure I would have to spend yet another here…”

Gunter watched fondly as the young princess twirled about her room, describing in great detail to him the designs of her gown and the ways in which she desired to have her hair styled. He was utterly overjoyed by how happy she was, her bright smile was something that always brought warmth to his heart.

Gunter truly wished the girl happiness in everything –wanting more than anyone to see her freed from the cage she’d been locked away in.

He watched her dance about, silently seething as he recalled his mission that had kept him away for far too long. It hadn’t been particularly difficult. No, it had simply been quite a handful to swallow. Garon had ordered him to investigate matters concerning the Hoshidan royal family –it was when he’d made particular discoveries concerning the young Nohrian princess before him.

Perhaps it was wrong to consider her a princess of _Nohr_.

She was, after all, a princess of Hoshido.

 

“Gunter!” The girl’s voice broke the silence, the knight looked up curiously. Her silver hair fell over her shoulder in an elegant wave, her ruby eyes bright as they met his dull brown ones. The pointed ears had always intrigued him, he wasn’t sure how he’d never realized it before –although none of the royal children really bore a resemblance to one another… but Kamui had always been singled out. She’d arrived under peculiar circumstances and no one had questioned when the king had adopted her.

 

 

“Maybe I’ll meet my prince charming there!”

 

“Prince… charming?” He was so caught up in his own thoughts he’d failed to really process her words. Gunter stared at her questioningly, a blank look on his face as she approached him with a wide grin.

 

“You _know_!” She giggled, “the knight who comes riding in on a white stallion, who comes to save the princess! Hopefully someone like Marx… he’s very strong and charming…”

 

“And protective of you, princess.” He chuckled from his place on the sofa. “I doubt your prince charming would have a chance against your older brother. He’s had nothing but the best training.”

 

“Mm.” The girl nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe I’ll just have to marry _him_!”

 

Gunter’s eyes widened, his mouth slightly ajar, as if he were preparing to say something. But nothing came out and the knight half wondered if she knew of her origins. But Kamui turned a particularly bright shade of red as she met his gaze, “I-I wasn’t being serious!” She said shakily, laughing the matter off. However, she quickly averted her gaze, “Oh gods… why did I even say that…”

 

Kamui covered her face, embarrassed. Her silvery hair pooled on the floor behind her as she brought her knees up to her face and rocked forwards.

Gunter’s expression fell sadly.

 

The girl had already lost so many years of her life locked away from the world, hidden from those who so desperately wanted to see her again. It was no wonder she filled her mind with such fantasies –it was her only way of hoping that by some miracle, someone would come to find her. Like Silas had all those years ago. Gunter was the only one in the kingdom who acknowledged the existence of the boy –it would be a lie to say he’d never been aware of the boy. The knight had never actually met him, but the drawings left behind some afternoons had never been Kamui’s. Or the feathers and gems she lined against her windowsill.

Gunter always believed the cage would grow and the king would allow her just a little more freedom… but it had seemingly grown smaller as the years went by. She was outgrowing the little world Garon had placed her in.

And it was choking her.

 

“Gunter?”

 

The man raised his eyes to the girl, “hm?”

 

He felt the girl on the sofa beside him as the pillow caved in from the weight of her. She reached for his age-weary hand, her cold fingertips brushing against the skin of his wrist. For a moment, the elder watched as the younger entwined her fingers with his and squeezed, a fond smile on his lips. The princess then drew herself closer, scooting over, pressing herself to his side and pulling her legs up on the sofa. Gunter wrapped an arm around her thin frame in response and felt her nuzzle even closer.

It was quiet, tender moments like these that made him recall his family and remind him of just how much he missed them. Garon had also stolen something from him, and in that way, he could relate to the young girl beside him in so many ways. Their losses were different but the feeling of loneliness was what made them so similar.

He knew just how much it hurt –despite being surrounded by others, in her case, her family. In his case, he still had the support of his fellow knights and friends. But there was a void within him that he was quite sure existed within her as well.

 

It seemed like an eternity passed as he sat with her against him. At some point the fire began to sizzle and fade, the knight realizing that quite a few hours had passed them by. He was careful in removing his arm from around her shoulders, placing it on the back of the sofa as he craned his neck to check the time on the clock.

 

He had been supposed to see Prince Marx quite a while ago. Clearly, the prince hadn’t really expected him to show.

 

Beside him, Kamui shifted with an uncomfortable groan. One of her legs was hanging off the side of the sofa as her arms stretched out in front of her. Much like everything, she was clearly outgrowing the piece of furniture. The knight carefully pulled her into his arms, steadying himself before standing up. His aching back and cracking bones made him flinch and grumble slightly. Still, he was intent on bringing the girl to her bed so she could get a restful sleep.

But as he walked over, he felt her wrap her arms around his neck and the familiar dampness of tears on his skin.

 

“I hope,” he whispered into her ear as he neared the princess’ bed, “that he does come.”

 

“Who?” Kamui sighed tiredly.

 

“Prince charming.” Gunter answered, “so that he may take you far away from here.”

 

“Silly Gunter,” the girl’s voice was quiet, but her next words broke his heart. “There’s no one coming for me.”

 

In that instant Gunter felt the girl's hopelessness. Frozen in place, he too cried, as he wrapped his arms around her. 


	2. Ruby of the Ball

The fete was, in all honesty, nothing out of the ordinary and rather boring. Kamui wandered from ballroom to ballroom in an attempt to find something more interesting to do but to no avail. Everywhere she turned an unfamiliar face appeared and the girl felt even more isolated than she did in her own bedroom. There were flashes of colour everywhere she looked and some of the more exotic ball gowns caught her eye almost immediately. Most of them revealed slightly more than the girl was currently comfortable with and Kamui couldn’t seem to supress the blush that spread across her cheeks when they brushed by her, offering her a generous view of their bosom. As opposed to them, she was rather much like a wooden plank and her figure wasn’t the least bit attractive. She wore a gown Camilla had worn as a girl, with slight alterations, but nonetheless gave her a childish image regardless.

Her siblings seemed to know everyone and simply glided across the floors to greet the next important person, leaving Kamui by her lonesome in the middle of a gossiping circle. Camilla was surrounded by a rather large group of women, as was her preference, outshining most of them with what she wore and the stories she shared with them. Her violet hair had been styled in the most fashionable way, swept up in a bun resembling a flower. Every now and then she would glance in Kamui’s direction and wave, beckoning the girl to join her. But Kamui would simply shake her head and retreat further into the room.

Leon had been present for no more than a few minutes, appearing for his introduction before disappearing through the side door to escape to the library. Kamui knew if she had really wanted to she could have followed… but suspected a servant would be sent for him to drag him back to the party eventually. So, it seemed rather pointless.

The youngest of the siblings was not present; Kamui supposed she could have spent the evening with Elise. But the girl had a tendency of sleeping early in comparison to the elder. She too had been around for her introduction but had been escorted out within minutes by her maids.

Marx, on the other hand, was completely surrounded and the girl couldn’t seem to find a single moment to bid him good evening without being trampled. He slithered through the crowd and greeted all the potential men and women he would one day work with. To all he offered charms and grace, but Kamui was quick to note the utter discomfort on his face. He hated large crowds. The two women pinned to either side of him pressed against him rather suggestively, only furthering his obvious discomfort.

 

King Garon hadn’t bothered introducing her to the guests and essentially ignored her very presence in the room when she’d tried to greet him earlier that evening. Kamui gave up when he only seemed to purposely set distance between them and avoided any eye contact with her. He remained in constant conversation and guided his guests away when she approached, his expression ever so cold.

 

“How are you liking the party thus far?” Gunter appeared beside her, his aged face surprisingly refreshed. Kamui had to take a second look to ensure it was actually him and not another man, the creases in his face seemed faded in comparison to the last time she’d seen him.

 

“It’s…” Kamui trailed off momentarily, “interesting.”

“Have you spotted a prince charming?” the man stopped to pluck a glass from a passing servant. “There are many suitable young men in the room.”

 

He saw her eyes wander through the waltzing crowd, her gaze falling on Marx at the far end of the golden ballroom. The prince was surrounded by a rather large flock of gushing women as always, trying his hardest to keep up with their mindless chattering. It was practically impossible to approach without being pounced on. Even his retainers appeared overwhelmed and shot each other irritated glances.

What Gunther saw only broke his heart even more. Her eyes expressed a longing – of one she was utterly ashamed to admit to anyone. While the older knight knew the truth behind her origins, the girl was in the firm belief that she shared blood with the blonde prince.

It was quite possible her feelings were misplaced – perhaps it was more of an infatuation on her part and believed it to be true love. Gunter never spoke of such things with her and he wasn’t all that sure either of her maids touched the topic either.

He wasn’t sure _anyone_ really talked to her anymore.

 

Kamui was quite alone in this godforsaken kingdom. Even more so than Gunther… and the knight realized that even he, himself, had abandoned the girl to the darkness of her cage.

 

“I look like a child.” Kamui grumbled from beside him, “far from a sophisticated lady. I don’t believe I will catch the eye of any.”

 

“I think you look quite lovely.” The knight smiled down at her, “and the prince who does not agree will be a fool to have thought otherwise.”

 

But she hardly looked convinced and she only stared down at herself and frowned. Contrary to her belief, the dress very much suited her. Jakob had altered it to perfection and Gunter was very much aware of the stares some of the young men were giving her from around the room. The colours made her ruby eyes stand out and the way her hair was styled left her pointed ears exposed.

 

“I should have remained at the northern fortress.” The girl’s shoulders slumped slightly, the disappointment quite evident.

“Nonsense! The main capital is much better than that old fortress.” The knight offered her his arm, “shall we dance?” The girl giggled, grateful to have Gunter around in her life, as she accepted his offer and allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor.

 

 

Meanwhile in the room, a particular silver haired knight was pushing his way through the busy crowd. Nobles shot him particularly annoyed and disgusted looks when he accidentally bumped into them, consequently knocking things out of their hands. He mumbled words of apology all while his eyes remained fixed on the young girl twirling on the dance floor with an older man – whom he assumed to be her retainer trying his hardest to entertain her. He’d noticed the look of utter boredom on her face earlier that evening when he’d begun his shift.

“You’ve been eyeing that girl all night, Silas.” A fellow knight nudged him teasingly “fancy her?”

Silas blushed, albeit lightly, and turned away from his friend. “Only looking out for her… she _is_ the princess.”

“Oh, the other one?” The knight scratched his chin, “Ki-K…Ka…?”

“Princess Kamui.” Silas affirmed.

 

“I never see her ‘round the castle.”

“That’s cause she doesn’t actually live here. She stays in the fortress in the North.” Silas bit his lower lip. It was rather unfortunate that Kamui was kept so far away from the main capital.

“Huh.” The other shrugged, “how odd.”

 

Silas ignored anything else his fellow knight might’ve said, pushing past him, as Kamui seemingly became the center of attention in the ballroom. All the young women whispered amongst themselves as they watched, envy very much visible in their faces, as the crown prince swept the princess into an elaborate waltz. Just as expected of the great prince Marx, he was an excellent dancer and led them both with confidence. Kamui’s lack of experience was hardly visible and she was quick on the uptake. Her brother immediately covered any mistake she made as they moved across the floor.

Marx had found the perfect moment to break away from his entourage of clingy women and have a pleasant time with his younger sister. Every swoop and turn led him further away from them and Silas noted the relief in the prince’s features once he’d led the princess to the opposite side of the room.

 

The knight watched, his own jealousy sparked, as Kamui stared up into the eyes of the prince and offered him the brightest smile. The smile Silas had come to love more than anything, the one he swore he would protect no matter what. It was for that that he’d become a knight – to protect Kamui. Her life and happiness meant more to him than his own.

 

Song after song he watched, eyes memorizing the pattern of their dance. Kamui’s mood improved as the minutes ticked by and the boredom he’d seen in her eyes disappeared completely. Marx carried on despite the songs ending, pulling her further away into the night.

Eventually, when the evening wore on and King Garon’s mood only darkened by the sight of them, Marx pulled away from the girl and bowed. In turn the princess curtsied before rushing off to the sidelines that had formed during their dance and disappeared into the crowd. Silas could only guess that she’d run back to find Gunter.

 

“How was the dance, my lady?” the older knight wrapped his arms around the girl when she crashed against him, “Ah, there’s the happy smile I knew you were hiding…”

 

“It was wonderful and so much fun!” She exclaimed, “he promised to come visit me more often.”

 

“That is excellent news, princess.” Gunter laughed. “It will be something to look forward to.”

 

“He also told me that father instructed him to teach me how to use a sword,” Kamui continued, “he might even stay at the fortress to help in my training.”

 

“Aye?”

 

The knight cringed at the image of the girl holding a sword in her hands, ready to strike her enemy down. It was inevitable considering the tensions existing between Nohr and Hoshido and rather naïve of him to think she would never have to join the fight. He wished for her to be able to remain out of it…

But there would likely come a day when she would have no choice but to defend herself. Either from Nohr or Hoshido. Or both. Whichever she chose, Gunter would without a doubt be at her side with his own weapon ready. He would never be able to live with himself if he had to fight against the young girl he’d come to regard as his own child.

 

“Gunter?” Kamui’s voice awoke him from his thoughts, “are you alright?”

“Quite fine,” he smiled down at her, “just a little tired.”

“Shall we retire for the evening then?” the princess offered, “I think I’ve had enough of dancing for the night and I’d rather we make it back to the fortress in one piece.”

 

“If that is what you wish, princess.” Gunter signalled to Jakob and Flora, both of them having been standing with the other servants. They immediately nodded and moved towards the exit where they would make preparations for their departure.

 

As Silas watched the girl begin to say goodbye to her siblings, he felt his chance to speak to her slipping from his grasp. Once more she would be half a world away from him and he would have to content himself with the image of her smile for Marx until they met, by some random chance…

He gripped the small ruby in the centre of his palm and immediately felt sweat building up around it. The gem had little value to most – but it had been a gift he’d wanted to give the girl ever since their separation many years ago. It was a gift he’d meant to give her on the day of their picnic.

 

Just as he was beginning to lose himself in his thoughts, he caught himself as Kamui strode through the doors out of the ballroom and dashed after her.

 

“ _Wait_!” He shouted, hoping his voice would reach her in time. “ _Princess Kamui!”_

 

The girl was just about to descend the grand staircase when she heard a voice calling out her name. She turned, eyes curious, as a young man approached her. He appeared to be out of breath and his cheeks were quite flushed. For a brief moment their eyes met, but he quickly averted his gaze and mumbled something she couldn’t quite catch.

 

“Sorry?” She tilted her head, “I couldn’t hear you.”

“I…er…” He stammered as he held out a hand nervously, “This… is for you…”

As she accepted the gift, Silas raced off without another word before she could thank him. “Than…” Kamui stared after him, baffled, “right…”

 

“Problem, Lady Kamui?” Gunter called from the bottom of the stairs.

“No, nothing!” She answered back, turning the gem over and over in her hand as she skipped down and met up with her retainer. It reminded her of the small things she would receive from her friend during her childhood – all the items were seemingly worthless to a normal person, but to her they meant far more.

 

“You look cheerful,” Gunter noted with a smile, “did something happen?”

“A most peculiar knight gave me this just now.” She showed him the ruby, pinching it between her thumb and index finger. “Pretty isn’t it?”

 

“Just lovely.” Gunter agreed, “Did he say anything?”

 

“Nothing.” Kamui sighed, “not a single thing.”

 

On the journey back to the fortress, the young princess stared down at the ruby fondly. The night had gone far better than she imagined – leaving her the happiest she’d ever been in a very long time.

When they were still some distance away, she leaned forward until her cheek rested on Gunter’s back.

“I think I found him,” she said quietly as they rode.

 

“Who?” the knight found himself asking.

 

“Prince Charming.”

 

 


	3. Changes

Gunter had never been much of the praying type – mostly because he had never been much of believer to begin with – but he found himself praying extra hard for the young Nohrian princess. Every morning and night he would sink to his knees to beseech whatever force above him to spare the girl a sad fate. She did not deserve to suffer any more than she already had in the years Garon had locked her away. It was already cruel enough to isolate her from the world and from those she loved. To keep her from the only family she had left in this world.

Of course, his prayers were left unanswered and whomever he’d been praying to had turned a blind eye. The beautiful innocence of the young princess had shattered within the first few months of learning how to use a sword and Gunter was forced to watch every single moment of it. To endure something that broke his heart.

When Marx was unable to continue with her lessons and was needed back in the capital, the older knight would have to take over. According to the girl, Gunter was going too easy on her and she only grew frustrated when he refused to strike her in their duels. He would parry and dodge her strikes whenever he was aware of her charging forward, but occasionally caught himself raising his own weapon and almost swinging it. But he’d realize mid-swing and let go of the weapon in order to avoid striking her. The girl would then mumble under her breath and refuse to talk to him as a result.   

He just hated the bruises. The yellow and blue hues were now seemingly permanent on her skin. The pain she evidently tried to choke back when she was around others, he knew when she was forcing herself. She would squeeze her eyes shut when she thought nobody was looking or crouch into a little ball.  

It reminded him of the lashings she had gotten as a younger girl. The sight of them had been nightmare worthy and the criss-crossing pattern was forever imprinted in the knight’s mind.

None of the other royal children knew the suffering the girl had endured in those months that Garon had sent someone to do the lashings. She’d screamed and begged for mercy, only to be punished more severely in the end. All during that time he’d nursed her back to health and had practically lived by her bedside.

Gunter knew she couldn’t have stayed the way she had been before. It was inevitable considering the ongoing tensions between Nohr and Hoshido and the fact that she needed to be stronger. The sword would be her only defense if she were to ever get involved in the war and the knight knew that. And it would be among a few ways of defending herself from others.

But seeing the light fade from her ruby eyes again scared him. The childish innocence he had grown to love more than anything in the world, as it reminded him of the precious child he’d lost so long ago, was gone. He so desperately wished for it to return – for those days that had gone so quickly to come back.

King Garon had, at that point, taken everything from Gunter.

“I will kill the Hoshidans.” Kamui stated one evening, turning to face him, “I’ll make father proud.”

He watched her pace back and forth in her bedroom, her armour dulled in the candlelight’s glow. She was trying to adjust to the weight of it and had been wearing it all day for the past several weeks. Her silvery hair was pulled back into a side ponytail and her ruby eyes were fierce. She looked the part.

He swallowed as he gripped the armrest of her sofa.  “I-Is that so?”

“If I do that, I can finally leave this place and live with my siblings in the capital.” Her voice was confident and her head was held high as she said this. For a moment, the knight’s eyes fell, “Gunter?”

“Yes… my lady?” He managed to breathe out, “what is it?”

She kneeled down in front of him; “You will follow me, right?”

“Always.” His voice was steady and emotionless, causing the girl’s expression to twist painfully. She backed away from him then and the next few hours passed in silence.

His answer had been so monotone – the way a servant would answer their master. In all the years he’d been at her side, he’d never answered her that way.

“Do you truly wish to kill the Hoshidans?” He asked just before departing for the evening, turning to look at her sitting on the window ledge. His eyes were sad but Kamui couldn’t see with the dimming candlelight.

She stared at him thoughtfully, considering his words. “If it means winning back my freedom, then yes.”

“Do you ever stop to wonder who these people might be?” Gunter wondered, leaning against the doorframe. “What lives they lead? How kind they may really be?”

“That kind of thinking has no place on the battlefield.” The girl answered, her voice bitter. “Emotional thinking will be my downfall.”

“Indeed.” He found himself agreeing solemnly, “I suppose you’re right…”

“You seem rather caught up in this.” Kamui pursed her lips, “is there something bothering you Gunter?”

The knight shrugged, a bitter laugh escaping his lips as he helplessly admitted, “perhaps I’m just getting old and sentimental.”

Kamui’s eyes widened in shock.

She’d spent so long blinded by her training and intense hatred for a royal family she didn’t know, she hadn’t bothered to ask her most trusted advisor his view on the whole situation. Nor had she even stopped to wonder who the royals  _ were _ .  Not once in all those months did she even stop to wonder how  _ Gunter  _ was. She’d ignored the one person who had dedicated himself to her wellbeing far longer than Jakob had.

Gunter had been the one to hold her hand when they’d travelled to the Northern fortress when she had been a child. Whispering words of comfort, hugging her to keep the others from noticing how much she trembled, he’d always been the one to protect her. He’d been more of a father to her than Garon ever had been. 

Her eyes scanned the visibly older face, the lines deeper than they had been on the night of the fete. He looked so exhausted she was sure he’d collapse and fall down the stairs once he left her room. Even if she wanted to believe he’d be her knight in shining armour forever, such a thing was not meant to be. Even now she could see the scratches and dents in his faded armour.

As she straightened her hunched back, head pressing against the window behind her, she felt horrible. Tears formed in the corners of her ruby eyes as she beheld the sight of her crooked and imperfect retainer.

“Didn’t you kill plenty of good men and women?” she asked quietly as she watched the elder approach slowly and kneel before her, staring up into her eyes sadly.

Kamui placed a hand on his cold cheek as he answered, “For a long time I killed without thought. Whether it was child or woman, I slashed through anyone who opposed or threatened my king,” his voice was tired. “I did my king’s bidding without complaint. But in the end I disobeyed him and paid dearly as a result.”

 

“But along the way I found myself questioning my actions… Why did  _ these  _ people have to die? For what reason was  _ I  _ killing?”

Garon had killed his only remaining family – wife and child. The image of their lifeless bodies drenched in blood still haunted him from time to time and the knight still screamed when he dreamt of them. He had never truly learned to cope with the loss.

But he had, in some way, come to terms with it.   

The emptiness hadn’t gone away over the years, nor his vow of vengeance. He still very much wanted to sink his sword into the king’s chest or make the man choke on his own blood, as he had done with his wife. But he could not do so when so many praised their king and the propaganda surrounding the conflict with Hoshido seemed to fuel the people.

He hated the royal family with a burning passion. It was foolish of him to despise children who’d had no involvement – but the sole fact that they were Garon’s left Gunter sick to his stomach. The fact that they were  _ alive  _ bothered him.

The oldest, Marx, was nothing like his father behind the cold mask he wore. He was very much the king Nohr deserved after the harsh ones led by their current monarch. But Gunter couldn’t bear to look at him without the strong urge to stab him in the neck. He wanted nothing more than to make the king watch as his own child was gutted before him…

His attention returned to Kamui when she took his hand. He was quick to notice the tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she looked at him. Gunter always seemed to manage to bring the girl to tears.

“What did you…?” She whispered, voice fading as she felt his hand swipe a stray tear away.

“It is no longer important.” He smiled a sad smile. Kamui only felt her heart tighten. Whatever invisible wounds he was hiding from her, she knew they ran deeper than he let on.

Just as she so often did as a child, she reached forward until her body pressed against his and her arms wrapped around his neck. He immediately responded in the same manner and sighed, his breath gentle against her skin. Eventually she slid from the window sill and, essentially, in to his lap. Their embrace only tightened as Kamui released a quiet sob and pressed her face against his neck.

Kamui held on for dear life, even when Gunter tried pulling away, suddenly afraid he would disappear. The knight whispered all kinds of reassuring words in her ear as he tried to pry her hands off but the princess didn’t budge. She was surprisingly stronger, or maybe Gunter was getting weaker.

She couldn’t imagine a world without him. Nor did she want to.

“No.” She mumbled into his shoulder.

Gunter suddenly realized she was crying again, “I will not go anywhere, my lady.”

“Do not lie to me Gunter.” The princess commanded, “if you cannot keep such a promise…”

“For as long as I draw breath,” he corrected himself with a sad smile, “I will be by your side and protect you, my dearest princess.”

Much later, Kamui turned to her wardrobe to retrieve her nightgown, but occasionally peered over her shoulder to where Gunter sat. He’d gone back to reclining on the sofa and sat with his eyes closed, the light of the fire flickering on his scarred face. He almost looked younger to the princess as she noticed the worries and creases were less severe. Without all the armour, which he had taken off and placed beside him, he was surprisingly firm and muscled.

She tilted her head as she mused on the thought of him as a young man, realizing he must have been quite handsome. Even with the long scar. The stories of his accomplishments had more or less faded but Kamui had hunted them all down and knew he kept most of them from her. 

 

“You're staring, my lady.” He mumbled, “some would consider this quite rude.” He opened his eyes to find her staring him down. “What's wrong?” 

 

“I find myself thinking… I've known you almost my entire life, yet I know nothing about you. Save for rumours and and speculation.” She tilted her head, a curious twinkle in her eye.

 

“My life has been nothing out of the ordinary.” He admitted with a shrug, “I served my kingdom like any other.” 

 

She shuffled closer, “did you ever marry?” 

 

The question still hurt him whenever it was asked, but it was no fault of the princess sitting near him. She had no way of knowing how Garon had ruined his entire life. Because of that, he found he could not be angry over her curiosity. It was the aspect of his life that he kept hidden from most or avoided mentioning because of the pain it allowed to resurface. 

 

Gunter closed his eyes, “I was married once. Long ago.” 

 

As if sensing his sadness, Kamui’s expression grew worried, “did...I ask something difficult? Did she…?”

 

“I lost both my wife and child. My own foolishness caused their deaths.” The knight sighed, “I could do nothing to stop the monster that murdered them.” 

 

“They were murdered!” Her eyes widened in horror, “I’m sorry...I shouldn’t have asked you.” The girl looked troubled as she sat there, caught between crying and leaping over to comfort him. She did neither out of fear of upsetting him further. 

 

“It is not something I necessarily had to hide from you, my dearest princess.” He smiled, extending his arms and inviting her to join him on the sofa. She hastily crawled over and climbed onto the couch, right into his open arms and snuggled closer to him when he wrapped them around her. 

 

“I didn’t want to burden a princess with such a sad story.” He admitted after a few moments, “there is already enough for you to deal with here.” 

 

“Burden me.” Kamui pressed her cheek to his shoulder, eyes meeting his when he glanced down at her, “maybe then, I can finally do something to help you. We are… family, after all. That’s what family does...” Her last words came out as nothing more than whispers, but Gunter felt himself smile at the sight of her shying away and blushing. 

  
  


He had suffered at the hands of the evil king Garon, so had Kamui, but his resolve to protect her only grew with every passing day. The knight would never allow the other to take his family away ever again. Not for as long as he drew breath and could use his sword. Even if he died defending her, he would do so gladly. She would never forgive him, of course, but he knew she would be capable of defending herself at that point. 

And he was almost absolutely positive Marx would jump to her defence in his place. Whether it was as a brother or a lover, he did not know… but he was most certainly not the same as his father. Nor were any of the Nohrian siblings. Gunter was reminded, by Kamui’s words, that family was important to them. There was nothing they would not do for each other. 

 

His grip tightened on the girl that night, all his silent promises and thoughts in mind as he pulled her as close as possible and carried her to bed. He wanted her to feel reassured. To feel loved, above all else. To be free of the cage and free to fly in the open sky waiting for her. 

 

“Good night, my dearest Kamui.” He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, hands on either side of her face. He lingered there and pressed his own forehead to hers, “I love you. More than anything in this entire world.” 

“I love you too.” 

 

“I love you most.” He chuckled at the sound of her huffing, her mouth opening and closing, “get some rest.” 

 

It was a mere couple of weeks later, when war had been declared between Nohr and Hoshido, that Kamui’s world came to a crashing end and she watched as Gunter fell from the bridge and into the dark abyss. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no update! Forgive me for my tardiness, full time work kept me from actually getting anything done. I'm getting back on track though! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> Voila~ 
> 
> Here if a request from Shiranoui, who wanted a short between Gunter and F!Kamui. This is not meant to be romantic. It is supposed to show the relationship that could exist between them. 
> 
> It can stand on its own -however I'll be posting a chapter down the road for the party. 
> 
> There is the possibility that certain things are not canon. 
> 
> Thanks for reading~! 
> 
> Disclaimer: Don't own Fire Emblem or the characters mentioned in this story.


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